Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

admin
Pinned February 28, 2017

<> Embed

@  Email

Report

Uploaded by user
Man’s pacemaker data leads to arson and insurance fraud charges
<> Embed @  Email Report

Man’s pacemaker data leads to arson and insurance fraud charges

Mariella Moon, @mariella_moon

February 07, 2017
 

Authorities from Ohio arrested a man named Ross Compton and charged him with arson and insurance fraud based on his pacemaker data. Compton told the police that when he saw his house burning on September 19th last year, he packed his suitcases, threw them out his bedroom window and carried them to his car. However, since has a serious heart condition and other medical issues that would have made it extremely difficult for him to do all those, the cops were able to secure a search warrant for his pacemaker data.

According to court documents, a cardiologist who reviewed his heart rate, pacer demand and cardiac rhythms before, during and after the fire said:

“…it is highly improbable Mr. Compton would have been able to collect, pack and remove the number of items from the house, exit his bedroom window and carry numerous large and heavy items to the front of his residence during the short period of time he has indicated due to his medical conditions.”

That data became a key piece of evidence that allowed law enforcement to indict the accused, though they also detected gasoline on his shoes and clothing. The fire ended up causing $400,000 in damages. Whether or not Compton is truly guilty, Electronic Frontier Foundation staff lawyer Stephanie Lacambra told SC Magazine that cases like this “could be the canary in the coal mine concerning the larger privacy implications of using a person’s medical data.”

She explained:

“Americans shouldn’t have to make a choice between health and privacy. We as a society value our rights to maintain privacy over personal and medical information, and compelling citizens to turn over protected health data to law enforcement erodes those rights.”

(27)